lentil cakes with raita

 images megan.christine

caught up in the holiday chaos, i completely procrastinated on coming up with a few dishes to bring to a new years eve dinner party at a friend's house in north park.  with the day being so gorgeous outside, i couldn't seem to pin myself to the stove, so i wanted to make sure i could whip up something easy, but also a little different (our host did request that we cook to impress).  with a variety of dietary restrictions in the group, i decided to make lentil cakes with raita (featured in bon appetit from philly based bindi restaurant), something i had not made before (note: do not do this before a party if you have no idea how they will turn out).  my food processor definitely helped to speed up the chopping, and all the fresh ingredients were very aromatic.  i pan fried the cakes and my initial taste test proved what i had feared, there were so many flavors in this dish that it was slightly overwhelming.  but, some people like that, so i wouldn't toss this recipe until trying it.

south indian lentil cakes with raita

Raita:
1 head of garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled seeded cucumber
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño
1/2 teaspoon (or more) fresh lemon juice

Lentil cakes:
1/2 cup mixed dried legumes (such as lentils and whole mung beans) --- I used Trader Joes cooked lentils
1/4 cup basmati rice --- I used brown rice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 jalapeño, seeded, minced
1 cup leaves from pea tendrils, arugula, or spinach, chopped
1/2 cup peas (from about 8 ounces peas in pods), chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

For raita:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut top 1/2" off head of garlic; discard. Place garlic on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Squeeze cloves from skins, keeping cloves intact.

Stir cumin in a small dry skillet over medium heat until deep brown, 2-3 minutes. Let cool. Finely grind in a spice mill.

Mix yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, mint, jalapeño, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir in cumin. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

For lentil cakes:

Rinse legumes; place in a medium bowl with rice. Add water to cover by 3". Let legumes and rice soak at room temperature for 3-5 hours.

Drain legumes and rice; transfer to a food processor. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Process until grainy paste forms (add 1-2 tablespoons water if necessary). Transfer to a large bowl; mix in tendrils and next 6 ingredients.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon 4 scant 1/4-cupfuls of batter into skillet, flattening with the back of a measuring cup into 1/4"-thick cakes. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until golden brown and cooked through, adding 1 more tablespoon oil when cakes are flipped, about 4-5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and batter. Divide raita among plates; top with a roasted garlic clove. Place 2 cakes on each plate.